Well, here it is! The long anticipated (hehe) roundup of this month’s installment of Hay Hay it’s Donna Day. This was my first time at hosting a food event and I really have to thank Barbara (this event’s creator, and resident cook at Winos and Foodies[1]) for holding my hand throughout the process. I really had a blast going through everyone’s entries and have added all of you to my RSS feed, as well as bookmarked your submissions to try at home myself

Voting on this month’s winner now begins. Get your votes in to HHDD@TriniGourmet.com[2], you have until October 12th Now, on to the roundup!

Inspired by Donna Hay’s Caramelized Onion and Anchovy Tarts (shown below), Shaun decided to make his own caramelized onion tart using homemade pastry dough (w00t!) and his own take on caramelised onions. To top things off he even added mascarpone cheese, delish!

Pam’s entry was the inspiration behind this round up’s title. Her entry had me chuckling from start to finish as she detailed an amusing case of ‘selective’ deafness on her husband’s part re: this month’s theme. Just as last month’s theme forced me to confront my fear of making pasta from scratch, this month’s theme forced her to confront her fear of pastry. Fortunately she had nothing to fear. The tart looks divine!!

Like some of the previous bloggers, Dolores is developing her confidence in seeing recipes less as rules set in stone, and more as guidelines for creative fancy. Her Spicy Fresh Corn Tart with Chipotle Cream is a joyful improvisation on a standard Cooking Light recipe.

This time around Joey in the Philippines breaks one of his unwritten rules and submits a *gasp* non-Donna Hay recipe to the roundup. With a picture and title this captivating though I don’t think she (or anyone else) would mind

The timing couldn’t have been better for Steph of A Whisk and A Spoon. The theme of this month’s round (tarts) co-incided with her having leftover chocolate tart dough in her freezer. Never having been a fan of butterscotch, I knew she was on to something when the picture of her butterscotch tarts made me salivate and endeavour to give them a try in my own kitchen! Glad to accomodate ya Steph!

Melody of Fruittart tackled a topic this time around that I think every food blogger has wrestled with at one time or another. How much does one say about one’s culinary mishaps when they occur? Well I think we’ll all agree that to some extent we all gain some reassurance and confidence from learning that others run into less than stellar kitchen moments. In Melody’s case quick thinking on her part saved the day and I think that even if the results veered from the original recipe they are quite stellar none the less

Initially Eunice thought that this challenge would be the perfect opportunity to overcome her fear of pastry, that was until she found a tart recipe that *gasp* didn’t require any! Sneaky sneaky Still with chocolate AND cherries who could blame her?

Linda made her Chocolate Ganache and Coffee Caramel Tart using Donna Hay’s recipe for sweet shortcrust dough. After considering several flavour pairings for her chocolate ganache she finally settled on some coffee caramels that she had on hand from another food event. I think you’ll agree that the pairing looks (and I’m sure it also tasted) out of this world

It took Tami of Running With Tweezers more than a few tries to perfect the pastry for her tartlets (I’m blaming the oven ) but in the end the results were nothing short of mouthwatering AND breathtaking! Love the interesting use of candied grapefruit peel, definitely not something that I see (or hear about) on a daily basis!

Elisabeth’s submission this time around is a Classic Berry Tart from Dorie Greenspan’s “From My Home To Yours”. I’ve heard a lot about Dorie Greenspan via the food blogosphere and after seeing the outcome of this recipe I am even more determined to get my hands on 1 (or more) of her books!

Barbara, the creator of Hay Hay it’s Donna Day, didn’t let a pesky thing like a vacation and computer troubles get in the way of getting her submission in, and on time :lol:. Written on another computer, and baked in another kitchen, her ‘Freeform Fruit Tart’ is easily adapted to whatever fruits may be in season in your locale

Helen’s tale of how her family got involved in the making of her Lemon Almond Blueberry Tarts had me smiling from start to finish Probably one of the few times when I’m made aware that I do have the makings of a little ‘biological clock’ ticking somewhere… Those tarts look heavenly and I’m sure they tasted just as swell

Hilda’s back for her second go at this month’s theme. This time it’s a sweet miniature blueberry and lemon tart that looks like it belongs in the store window of a chichi patisserie Now I’m all nostalgic for fresh blueberries, I haven’t had any since I left the US, and that was over 7 years ago!

A round of applause everyone to Cakelaw. It’s her first time submitting to Hay Hay it’s Donna Day, and I sure hope it won’t be her last! Like me she makes her recipes choices based on what she has on hand (and more importantly what products are reaching their expiration dates hehehehe!). She modified a Donna Hay recipe for peach tarts by using pears instead, although she wasn’t too thrilled with the end results I think the tart looks great. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with the next time around

For the longest while pomegranate has been on my list of ‘mystery foods’ to try one day. That along with rhubarb and leeks. This submission of a Pomegranate and Quince tart has only increased my desire and curiousity. The fruit looks positively jewel-like, and you can tell that Eva is a true culinary adventurer by her creation of a chickpea-cardamom tart shell Kudos!

Last but not last is Brilynn all the way north in Canada Brilynn was the first food blogger to introduce me to the phenomenon that is Dorie Greenspan. Not surprisingly, her submission this time around is from *drumroll please* Dorie Greenspan This Puffed Plum Tart appears almost too picturesque to consume. I’m sure each juicy sweet slice was devoured with a smile!

Well that ends this month’s roundup of Hay Hay it’s Donna Day. I really had a blast hosting things this time around. Going through the entries I came across so many new (to me) food bloggers (as well as revisited old faves ) . I hope you enjoyed this month’s submissions as much as I did and remember that you have until October 12th to get your votes in Send them to HHDD@TriniGourmet.com[2] and I’ll post the winner on the 13th. I’ll announce the prize at that time as well Happy Voting!!!